The present invention relates to a technique for separating semiconductor dies from a wafer and, in particular, to a technique for separating gallium nitride light emitting diode devices on lattice-mismatched substrates.
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) such as gallium nitride (GaN) LEDs are used in a wide variety of applications. GaN LEDs are commonly fabricated by forming one or more GaN epitaxial layers over a top surface of a lattice mismatched wafer substrate, such as a sapphire substrate. The bottom surface of the substrate is then scribed using a scribing tool. The scribing process creates scribe lines which define the dimensions of the LED devices. The substrate is then broken along the scribe lines, yielding individual LED devices.
The conventional scribe and break process results in devices that have rough edges, and thus a poor visual appearance. The process can also result in devices that have damaged electrical contacts or bond pads due to randomly propagating cracks. During the breaking process, cracks develop at the scribe lines on the surface of the substrate. The cracks then propagate through the substrate. When the cracks reach the substrate/epitaxial layer interface, the cracks tend to propagate in unanticipated and undesirable directions. This is due to the high stress and large number of defects at this interface, caused by the mismatched lattice patterns of the substrate and the GaN layer. Finally, the cracks propagate through the epitaxial layer and break through the top surface of the epitaxial layer. At the very least, this separation method results in individual devices which have rough or jagged edges. However, the propagating cracks frequently break out of the scribe line areas into the active areas of the device, damaging electrical contacts or bond pads located therein.
What is needed is a technique for separating GaN devices on lattice-mismatched substrates which overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above.
A technique which overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above is disclosed.
In one embodiment, a method for separating semiconductor devices is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate having one or more epitaxial layers thereon, forming trenches in the one or more epitaxial layers, forming scribe lines in a surface of the substrate, wherein the locations of the scribe lines correspond to the locations of the trenches, and separating the semiconductor devices by cracking the substrate along the scribe lines.